May 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 10

PERSPECT I VES A MESSAGE FROM NRPA' S LEADERS
Safety First
As stewards of our public
spaces, you play a crucial role in
ensuring parks and recreational
spaces are safe and enjoyable for
all visitors. However, managing
public spaces and interactions
with those who use them is
complex and challenging. This
May issue of Parks & Recreation
magazine contains great content
on this theme of stewarding
safe spaces, and there are two
components that I'd like to emphasize here.
The first is that May is Water Safety Month, which
provides an annual opportunity to engage both
ourselves and the public in the vital importance of
water safety. Water-related amenities and activities
are a significant part of many park and recreation
programs, and yet recruiting and retaining sufficient
personnel to manage these spaces have proven to be
increasingly challenging.
Wrapping recruitment messaging into communications
around Water Safety Month can help boost
interest in both water safety itself, as well as in the
roles that help to support a water-safe or " waterwell "
community. Agencies that have adopted a
community-level focus on water safety educate the
public on the potential dangers, as well as the solutions,
including swimming skills, proper use of flotation
devices and trained safety personnel.
Park and recreation professionals have a unique
to promote safety-conscious behavior
opportunity
through community outreach and engagement. And,
by working with local schools, community organizations
and other groups, you can both raise awareness
about water safety and create recruitment opportunities
for the roles that are essential to supporting watersafe
facilities and communities overall. Of course, it
would be oversimplifying to say that safety is just about
education, and instructing staff on water safety and
proper lifeguarding techniques is only one piece of the
training puzzle.
In truth, park and recreation professionals are
navigating the challenges of being front-line staff
working directly with the public, which can present
an array of risks and challenges. That is why situ10
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ational awareness, de-escalation and self-defense
training are critical skills for park and recreation
professionals to possess. In this issue, my colleague
Lindsay Collins contributes a piece on self-defense
practices, the takeaways of which are relevant for all
park and recreation staff.
Being a professional who approaches safety holistically
means maintaining safety at all levels - self,
surroundings, spaces and settings. It means ensuring
that you maintain situational awareness - staying
alert and observant of your surroundings, identifying
potential threats and assessing risks. It means
recognizing potential conflicts before they escalate
and practicing de-escalation tactics to diffuse potentially
volatile situations through effective communication
and conflict-resolution techniques. It also
means ensuring that you are protective of your own
safety while working to prevent violence and making
sure your community remains secure.
There is a concept in boating that goes like this:
" one hand for you and one for the boat. " The idea
is that by keeping one metaphorical hand for your
safety and security, you can use the other to take
care of what needs to get done. Situational awareness,
de-escalation and self-defense training can
serve as that personal safety and security focus.
They can help mitigate risks and equip you with
the tools necessary to address them effectively. By
investing in these skills, you not only increase your
own safety, but also better ensure your visitors have
a positive and enjoyable experience in your parks
and recreation areas.
As park and recreation professionals, you have a
unique responsibility to maintain public safety while
patrons enjoy the facilities and programs that you manage.
You also have a responsibility to yourselves and
your teammates to ensure your own safety. I encourage
you to seek out ongoing training opportunities in this
area. Your safety, the safety of your colleagues and the
safety of your visitors depend on it.
KRISTINE STRATTON
President and CEO
May 2023 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2023 - Parks & Recreation
